Public Health England have responded to plans for gravel extraction north of Bengeo.
As the most senior advisory body in the country, they agree that dust from the quarry could pose a risk and says the quarry developers must show there will be no “additional emissions including dust or particulate matter which could adversely affect the local community.
Their full response is shown below:
A considerable body of evidence exists linking airborne particles (particulates) with a range of adverse health effects. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated associations between effects on health and particles from a wide range of sources. It is accepted that particulate air pollution increases the risk of acute and chronic respiratory disease as well as cardiovascular disease. Different groups of individuals are affected by air pollution in different ways, with more vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly or those with pre-existing conditions more likely to suffer the adverse effects from exposure to air pollution. It is acknowledged that those with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as cystic fibrosis or asthma are considered a sensitive population if exposed to airborne pollutants such as particulate matter.
The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP) has produced a statement on the effects of air pollution on children’s health, which notes that exposure to air pollution is associated with deleterious effects on the development of the lung after birth and this leads to attainment of a lower level of adult lung function as measured using standard lung function tests.
It is clear that air pollution, from a range of sources (and not solely the proposed quarry) is a potential threat to the health of the concerned family and wider community.
In terms of the proposed quarry, this will be subject to scrutiny to ensure that it does not create significant additional air pollution. The local planning authority will be required to consider the potential impact of the quarry development on the local community. The National Planning Policy Frameworkhighlights a number of considerations for local planning authorities when determining planning applications, such as:
• ensure, in granting planning permission for mineral development, that there are no unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment, human health or aviation safety, and take into account the cumulative effect of multiple impacts from individual sites and/or from a number of sites in a locality; and
• ensure that any unavoidable noise, dust and particle emissions and any blasting vibrations are controlled, mitigated or removed at source and establish appropriate noise limits for extraction in proximity to noise sensitive properties.
The developer of the proposed quarry will also be required to satisfy the local planning authority, relevant regulators and the community that the operation of the quarry will not result in additional emissions including dust or particulate matter which could adversely affect the local community. The operator dependent on the size and location of the development will be expected to carry out a dust assessment study, as detailed in the planning guidance.